Osteospermum plant named `Cape Daisy Congo`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum named `Cape Daisy Congo`, particularly characterized by its upright growth habit with excellent light purple flower color, mid-season flowering and medium green foliage, and suitability to 6 inch pots, and 8 and 10 inch hanging basket cultures.

BACKGROUND OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of plantknown as Osteospermum. The new cultivar is known by the cultivar name`Cape Daisy Congo`, and was developed by the inventor Carl Aksel KraghSorensen in Aarhus, Denmark in 1992 by crossing Dimorphothecachrysanthemifolia and `Cape Daisy White Fantasy`, an unpatentedcultivar.

Asexual reproduction by terminal (stem tip) cuttings taken by me orunder my supervision at Peterminde Greenhouse in Aarhus, Denmark, hasshown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stabilizedand are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Osteospermum from bothits parent varieties and other cultivars of this general type known andused in the floriculture industry:

1. A unique light purple flower color.

2. An upright compact growth habit.

3. Mid season flower response.

4. Well suited for 6" pots, nursery containers, and hanging baskets.

`Cape Daisy Congo` is similar to the cultivar `Sunny Girl`, the plantdescribed and illustrated in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/698,337. The growth habit of `Cape Daisy Congo` is more upright.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph is a top perspective view of the newcultivar, showing color as true as it is reasonably possible to obtainin a colored reproduction of this type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of my new Osteospermum cultivarbased on plants grown under commercial practice in Encinitas, Calif.Three rooted cuttings were transplanted into 26 cm (10 inch) hangingbaskets on Dec. 11, 1995. Plants were pinched on Jan. 2, 1996, andreceived plant growth regulator on January 16 and 31. The values,measurements and observations noted below were taken from plants inbloom on Feb. 29, 1996 and continued to flower through April 1996.

On Apr. 9, 1996, I observed a plant in a 26 cm hanging basket 47 cmtall. This basket had three branched plants with an overall height of 54cm and an overall width of 68 cm. Each plant had 5 strong branches,originating from within 1.5 cm of the soil line, for a total of 15branches. Each branch was approximately 29 cm long terminating in aflower. At observation, there were 38 flowers open and 104 flower budsin various stages of development. Three secondary shoots subtend theterminal flower from the top 3 nodes on the primary shoot. Thesesecondary shoots were 23 to 30 cm in length and terminated in a flower.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

The Plant

Origin: Seedling from cross pollination.

Parentage: Cross between seed parent Dimorphotheca chrysanthemifolia (anunnamed cultivar) and pollen parent `Cape Daisy White Fantasy`.

Classification:

Botanical.--Interspecific hybrid Dimorphotecachrysanthemifolia×Osteospermum ecklonis.

Common name.--Osteospermum.

Cultivar name.--`Cape Daisy Congo`.

Asexual reproduction:

A. Cutting type.--Vegetative shoot tip with stems approximately 3 cmlong and developing to 4-5 cm after 28 days in propagation.

B. Time to initiate roots.--8-10 days at 20° C.; nicely developed rootmass in 21-28 days.

C. Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous adventitious roots from the stembase.

D. Growth retardant application.--Standard growth retardant applicationfor `Cape Daisy Lusaka` includes 1-2 applications ofdaminozide/butanedioic acid mono (2.2 dimethylhydrazide) at a rate of2,500 ppm. Applications are made as foliar sprays. Growth retardingchemicals generally reduce height of the plant by 1/3.

Plant description:

A. Form.--Symmetrical, upright growing perennial shrub, with goodbranching characteristics after pinching, giving the plant a fullappearance.

B. Habit of growth.--Vigorous, mounding habit, producing approximately20 leaves per stem and terminating in flowers. After the initial floweris formed, typically 3 subordinate axillary shoots develop from thenodes of uppermost leaves producing additional flowering shoots. Thisprocess is continuous so long as night temperatures remain below 16° C.

C. Foliage description.--1. Leaf shape: Obovate with acuminate tip andattenuate leaf base. 2. Leaf blade size: Mature leaves 7.5-9 cm long and3 cm wide. 3. Petiole length: Approximately 2.5-3 cm in length. 4. LeafMargin: Slightly sinuate with 3-5 pointed lobes on either side of theleaf blade. 5. Leaf texture: Slightly undulant and twisted at the tip.(i) Upper surface: Slightly pubescent with short, white trichomes evenlydistributed throughout the leaf surface. (ii) Under surface: Glaborous.6. Leaf color: Dark green. (i) Upper surface: Near R.H.S. 147A. (ii)Under surface: Lighter than R.H.S. 147A. 7. Venation: Palmately branchedwith a predominate light green mid-rib on the upper surface. Oneprominent mid-vein is slightly raised on the lower surface. 8. Foliagefragrance: Characteristic Osteospermum plant fragrance, particularlynotable when foliage is wet.

Inflorescence description: Daisy type composite flower with disk and rayflorets that close at night and open in the morning. The ligulate petalof the ray floret subtends the pistil. The disk florets contain maleflower parts. Florets on the flower heads are imperfect with pistillateray florets and staminate disk florets.

A. Flowering habits.--Flowering is determinate with one primary flowerat the end of a long, 22-28 cm pedicel on open flowers. Each pedicel hadapproximately 3-5 leaflets on the proximates end of the pedicel. Asecondary flower arises from the base of the primary pedicel.

B. Natural flowering season.--Flowering occurs primarily Februarythrough October in the northern hemisphere. Initiation occurs after acool temperature vernalization (10°-17° C.). Floriferousness may waneduring hot summer days in temperate climates. Rooted cuttings willflower in approximately 13 weeks when pinched 2 weeks after potting,then cultivated at 10°-12° C. for 4 weeks and thereafter grown for 7weeks at a temperature of 18° C., for a total growing time to flower of15 weeks.

C. Flower buds.--Flower buds develop successively on secondary branches,reaching a size of 2 cm long and 1 cm wide prior to opening.

D. Flowers borne.--Singularly 12 cm above the plant canopy.

E. Quantity of flowers.--Secondary flowers occur progressively aroundthe primary flower so that tight buds to mature flowers are visible atthe same time.

F. Flower head.--1. Number of florets: 20-22 ray florets and numerousdisk florets, making up a flower disk approximately 1.2 cm in diameter.2. Shape: Narrow linear florets with obtuse to acute tips and acutebases. Ray florets approximately 4 cm long and 0.9 cm wide. 3. Color:Ray florets are light purple; disk florets are violet-blue. (i) Uppersurface of ray florets: Near R.H.S. 75A. (ii) Under surface of rayflorets: Longitudinal stripes near R.H.S. 84B alternating with stripesnear R.H.S. 85A. (iii) Disk florets: Near R.H.S. 96A. 4. Surface: (i)Upper surface of ray florets: Glabrous. (ii) Under surface of rayflorets: Glabrous but pubescent near the base. 5. Flower size: Up to 8cm in diameter. 6. Flower fragrance: None.

G. Reproductive organs.--1. Stamens: Short stamens emerge on outermostdisk florets and progress toward the center. 2. Anther: Each disk florethas 1 stamen terminating in a 5-part anther. 3. Pollen: Copious andgolden yellow. 4. Stigma: Bipartite. 5. Styles: Short, approximately 2to 3 mm long and purple. 6. Ovary: Inferior to florets and green incolor.

H. Resistance.--1. Frost: Withstands light frost. 2. Root, stem, foliageand flower diseases: Highly resistant.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed `Cape Daisy Congo` as illustrated and described.